Dry fire extinguisher



May 26, `1931. w. FRIEDRICH 1,807,399:

DRY FIRE EXTINGUISHER Fued Apri1 11, 1928 BY Mv.

ATTORNEY Patented Mayv 26, 1931 UNITED STATES' PATENT ori-lcs DRY FIREEXTINGUIBHEB.

Application led April 11,.1928, Serial No. 269,252, and in Austria lay27, 1927.

Dry fire extinguisher are already known in which the receptacle holdingthe gas for ejecting the extinguishing powder is contained in a cage orthe like arranged within a closed container for the said extinguishingpowder. The disadvantage of these apparatuses, however, is that thepressure gas passes freely into the extinguishing powder container andconsequently there is no distribution of the said gas inside the powdercontainer due to the choking of the distribution piping which is open atthe top and bottom, and that the extinguishing powder causes the gas tofollow the line of least resistance through the column of powder in thepowder container instead of irst passing through the distributionpiping.

The distribution of gas throughout the powder container by means ofpipes in direct communication with the gas container is, however,desirable as by means of such distribution the extinguishing powder inthe container is thoroughly agitated and effectively mixed With the gasand is ejected from the container in the form of a cloud of powder.

In the known apparatuses fitted with distribution piping, the bottle isarranged either on the outside of the container or a special chamber isprovided in which the gas bottle is placed and to which 'thedistribution piping 1s connected. The cost of constructing the latterform of `device is high and requires the provision of at least twosealing openings in the container; increases the weight and dimensionsof the device and requires an excessive pressure in the chambercontaining the carbonio acid. Thus said chamber must be of strongconstruction and special provision must be made to prevent the burstingof the said bottle.

The present invention has for its object a dry fire extinguisher inwhich the gas bottle is arranged inside the powder container in a cageor the like in the usual manner but has only one set of distributionpiping. In accordance with the invention, a connection is formed betweenthe gas bottle and the gas distribution piping. This connection iseffected by means of a seal or cover placed on a single inlet opening inthe owdcr container, through which opening t e gas bottle is filled andthe extingulshing powder introduced. For this purpose and 1n accordancewith the invention, the cover is formed in such a way that it provides apassage between the gas outlet opening in the bottle'an'd thedistribution pipmg.

A form of dry fire extinguishing apparatus embodying the presentinvention is shown on the attached drawing in which Fig. 1 shows a sideview of the apparatus with the upper portion in section.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the seal and the up er portionof the gas bottle on a larger sca e.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line III- III in Fig. 2.

Within the .container 1 which holds the extinguishing powder and isfitted with a discharge nozzle 2, are arranged the gas bottle 3 and thegas distributor piping 4. In the present instance this piping comprisesan upper pipe 4 from which branch a number of pipes 5, said pipesextending along the walls of the powder container and being of differentlength or stepped and having their lower ends all turned in the samedirec-tion. One of the pipes 5 is preferably arranged with its dischargeend in the nozzle 2.

The gas bottle 3 is contained within a cage composed of four or morerods 6 6 with the neck 7 of the bottle uppermost. In the neck 7 islocated a sealing plug 7 a bored to receive screwed plug or stopper 8.By turning the plug 8 an outlet opening 9 in the plug 7 a of the gasbottle can be closed or opened at will. When the stopper 8 is open, thegas escapes upwards, through a channel 10 arranged in the stopper, andinto the hollow space 11 below the cover 13. This space in the cover isclosed at the lower end by means of a piston 12 between whichand theinner surface of the annular wall 14 of the cover or closure 13 anairtight joint is formed by means o packing 14a secured to the piston12. Preferably, the piston 12 is pressed downwards by means of a spring17. An annular sprlng 18 arranged adjacent the lower end 14 of the cover13, and acts as a stop to-prevent'the 100 piston 12 falling out when thecover 13 is taken oi. The cover is arranged so as to screw into the ring19 secured in the opening of the container. The up r portion of thethread inthe cover 13 andxin the neck ring 19 is cut away-so as toprovide an annular space 20. This space forms a connection between thespace 11 in the cover 13 and the distribution piping connected theretoby means of a curved conduit 21 located at the top of the ring 19.

The wall 14 of the cover 13 is provided at the top with openings 22which connect the inner space 11 to the annular space 20. In this way,when the cover is screwed in, connection is established between theinside of the carbonic acid bottle and the gas distributing piping 4. Asthe gas flowing out of the gas bottle through the channel 10 1n thestopper 8 passes into the hollow space 1 1 1n the cover 13 itpassesthrou h the openlngs 22 inthe cover into the annu ar space 20 and enterstheA distribution pi es 4-5 through the-curved conduit 21. n this way itis ossible to employ distribution piping that directlytakes the gas, atthe same time retaining the 'gas bottle which is inserted directly intothe powder container.

' Should gas escape through the thread by means of which the cover 13 isscrewed into the ring 19 the eiciency of the device will not be affectedas the gas iows into the inslde of the powder container, and cannotescape into the. atmosphere. The quantity of gas escaping through thethread is Very small and has no detrimental influence on the action ofthe apparatus. The escape of gas at the point of contact of cover 13with the ring 19 is prevented by packing 23.

The stopper 8 of the gas bottle is operated by a key 24 which can berotated by means of an externally accessible hand-wheel 25.

Instead of the stepped arrangement of this distribution piping, anyother arrangement of the said piping can be employed.

The purpose of'the distribution piping is to loosen the extinguishingpowder at the wall of the owder container and to bring about a mixingand thorough dispersion of the powder at the lower end of the container.

I claim y 4 1. In a re extinguisher having a discharge outlet, a powdercontainer, a gas bottle supported therein having its outlet normallysealed, means for rendering ineffective said sealing means, a closurefor the powder container having a chamber therein, means for renderingsaid chamber Huid tight, means for establishing communication betweensaid gas bottle and said chamber, a conduit arranged within the powdercontainer and having a communication with the chamber in the closure,and a plurality of branch conduits leading from the first named conduitto dierent points throughout the container and into sai dischargeoutlet. i

2. In a fire extinguisher having a discharge outlet a ported t ereinhavin its outlet normal y sealed, means for rendering ineective saidsealing means, a closure for the powder container having .a chambertherein, means for renderin sald chamber fluid tight, means for estabishing communication between said gas bottle and said chamber, a conduitarranged within the powder container and having communication with thechamber in the closure, and a plurality of, branch conduits leadingfrom-the first named conduit, the branch conduits being dis sed inparallelism and extendin along t e walls to different points throng outthe container and into said discharge outlet.

3. In a fire extinguisher having a discharge outlet a powder container,a closure normally sealin the upper end thereof and having a depen ingannular flange projecting into the container, a sealing piston in theannular flange and normally resiliently urged in a downwardly direction,a gas bottle supported in the container below the piston, a valvenormally closing the gas bottle, and having an opening for establishingcommunication between the as bottle and inside diameter of the fiange aove the piston, manually operable means carried by the closure foroperating the valve, and a conduit arranged in the powder compartmentand communicating with the inside diameter of the annular lange and aplurality of branch conduits leading from the said conduit to differentpoints throughout the container and into said discharge outlet.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

WILHELM FRIEDRICH.

wder container, a gas bottle su

